Burl Dean Nelson was born December 3, 1933 in Patoka, Illinois.  He was saved at the age of 11 but was not baptized nor did he attend church regularly until after his discharge from the army.  After his discharge he met Jacqueline Hoff and they were married.     He began to attend a Baptist church with her in California and shortly after that he was baptized.  After he felt called to the mission field they enrolled in Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri and graduated in 1965.  They were approved as missionaries of the Baptist Bible Fellowship in 1968.  On their first anniversary in Australia their first church, Bethel Baptist Church had 105 present with 8 saved.  
    Burl died August 2, 1975.  He was survived by his wife, Jackie and two children: Lawrence Dean (Larry) and Vicki Lynn.